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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. wind — moving air
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. row — to paddle
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. ball — a dance
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. wind — moving air
  11. pound — a weight
  12. ball — a great time
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. row — a line
  24. stand — to bear

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com